Watch: Waldo Canyon Fire 5-day time-lapse

A photographer captures the evolution of a historic wildfire as it explodes through the hot, dry forests around Colorado Springs.

Colorado's Waldo Canyon wildfire is already the most destructive in state history, having burned 18,000 acres, destroyed 347 homes and and killed at least two people since it erupted two weeks ago. The fire is now 55 percent contained, but it's still burning at 1,500 degrees Fahrenheit and spreading faster than humans can run. According to InciWeb, its growth potential remains "extreme."

This summer's devastating outbreak of wildfires is yielding lots of amazing imagery, but photographer Steve Moraco has captured one of the most impressive visual records so far. Filmed from his parents' deck overlooking the fire zone near Colorado Springs, the following time-lapse video shows the Waldo Canyon Fire's evolution over a five-day span from June 23-28. It's long, but worth watching:

The video, posted online Friday, quickly took off on YouTube and Vimeo over the weekend. It drew a wide range of praise for its expansive view of the historic wildfire, including this comment on YouTube from a former firefighter:

"As a man who spent his youth fighting wildland fires, burned over 5 times, I can say you have produced a breathtaking and compelling document that deserves to go into the permanent archives of your city."

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